Foundation garment



June 12, 1945. I H. WIPPERMAN ETAL 2,378,167

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed May 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 ATTORNEY June 12, 1945. H, WIPPERMAN EI'AL 5 2,378,167

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed May 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I a Q; I

Patented June 12, 1945 FOUNDATION GARMENT V Hildegard Wipperman, Chicago, and Marie Martin, Riverside, Ill., assignors to The H. W. Gossard 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 6, 1943 Serial No. 485,796

2 Claims. (01, 2-30) v This invention relates to foundation garments for women and has for its object to provide an improved garment of this type which eliminates th use of elastic in regions where elastic has heretofore been considered essential but may nevertheless be worn With perfect comfort and freedom of movement to the wearer. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a foundation garment of the above type with a simple and highly efficient mechanical control of the shoulder straps and hose supporters which eliminates the use of the elastic devices heretofore employed for this purpose. a

Still another object of the invention is to provide a foundation garment with a new and improved loop-lacing gore which enables the garment as Well as the hose supporters to be tensioned and adjusted without the use of elastic and cooperates with the hose supporters to accommodate the parts automatically to all position of the body whether in motion or in repose. I

The invention is especially useful at the present time in view of war-time shortages .of rubber and Government regulations limiting its use in wearing apparel.v Shoulder straps and hose supporters, as heretofore constructed, have'required the use of large quantities of elastic Webbing, which we have now eliminated without sacrificing any of the advantages of elastic and at the same time gaining the additional advantages of economy, lightness and ease of adjustment, as hereinafter described. I

Foundation garments constructed in accordance with our invention may be of any conventional type and are preferably made of inelastic material, although they maycontain either oneway or two-way stretch elastic panels when such material is available. The shoulder straps and hose supporters, however, are composed'of inelastic material and are adjustably secured to the garment in such a way that they freely and automatically adjust themselves to any position hose supporters, in combination with a special improvedloop lacing'in a gore at the front of the garment, the gore may be adjusted to insure a proper fit and .the hose supporters shortened or lengthened at th same time by a simple adjustment of the lacing.

The various features and advantages of the Fig. 1 is a front view of a foundation garment embodying the invention, showing same as wornv on the figure;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary frontview on an enlarged scale, showing the garmentspread out fiat to illustrate the construction and operation of the shoulder traps Fig. 3 is av rear view of the garment as worn, and illustrates an adjustable anchorage for the rear ends of the shoulder straps; a

Fig. 4-15 a fragmentary plan view of the lower portion of the garment, spread out flat, and illustrates the construction of the loop-lacing front gore and the mounting of the hose supporters;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the loop-lacing front gore at thebottom of the garment; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

- The foundation garment shown in the drawing is a combination garment comprising a'brasslere [of soft inelastic material secured to the upper edge of the corset portion which is composed of a front section or panel 2, a back section 3, and

sidesections 4. which connect the front and rear sections of thegarment as best shown in'Fig. 2.

The front panel 2 is made of any suitable inelastic fabric, and the lower central portion of the front panel 2"is provided with a gore comprising a vertical opening 5 for permitting adjustment in a manner hereinafter described. The back section 3and side sections 4 of the garment may also be made of inelastic material if desired,

although they may advantageously contain elastic I I when such material is available.

The garment opensat one side and is fastened about the body in any suitable manner as by means of a slide fastener or hook and eye fasteners 6 which may be provided on the meeting edges of the side openingas shown in Fig. 2.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the central upper edge of the brassiere I extend ing betweenthe bust pockets is provided with a binding 1 which is folded or doubled over said edge and secured thereto by stitches 8 to provide a tube or channel 9 which extends throught the binding 1 as shown in Fig. 2.

A smooth cord I8 is secured to the opposite upper edges of brassire l at fixed points I2 located at a distance from the respective ends of binding 1, and this cord passes freely through the channel-9 in binding 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cord Illis of substantiallygreater length than the channel "9 so thatit. will form: loose upstanding loops at opposite ends of the channel for the attachment of the shoulder. straps.

The garment is provided with inelasticshoulder straps I4 having loops 15 on their forward ends,

and the cord 10 on the upperecl'gejcfithebras sire passes freely through these. loops 15" as" shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear ends of shoulder straps It may be secured directly to. the back section 3 of the garment as shown in Fig, 2, or,. as an alternative, they may be provided 'with additional. loops 1.6 .which .are freely. slidable-in: spaced cords .-I T secured: to .theback of the gar-- ment-as. shownin Fig.3. In. the-embodimentof Fig, 3a gore..l8 of k'nittediabric or elastictto provide elasticity is included in theuppen central. portion of. back..section.3 of. the'garment which is otherwise inelastic..

Fig, 1 shows the. adjustmentof ithemshoulder. straps Il'to a bent position oflthebodyl. .Inithis view,.it willbe. noted that the, shoulder strap. has shifted in one direction onthe leftrsid'e oftthe. figure where the shoulder is dropped, .andjh'as. shifted in the. opposite direction .on the right side of" the figure where'the shoulder .is raised Regardless" of the position; which the "body may, assume, the cord' I maygli'de freely through. the channel 9 in binding '1, and thecord '|0"will'like-' wise 'glide through loops l ln'the shoulder straps l4; ina'manner' comparable to a pulley arrangement. This easy glidingofthe-parts insuresease and comfort to the *wearerbyallowing the-shoulder straps to shift in such' a manner-astoconform to I the motion of the body;

In the embodiinent of. Fig:- 3; where-thecords l1 pass through' theloops [5 on'the rearends of shoulder straps 14,- the shoulder straps will travel freely along the cords when required and will thus automatically a'djust themselves to thdzposition of the body.

Eigsa: 1 and 4-6.2illustrate: the invention asappliedito the hose supporters; in? conjunction-with" a novel. loop-lacing; org-the :lowerzfront tgore.15. In: this' embodiment of the: invention,;.the: lower side: edgesof the garment aretprovideiiwwith: the: respective bindingsimsandll? which areid'oubled;

and 25 is continuous from its respective point of attachment 26 or 21, all the way to the top of the gore 5, so that, by loosening the lacing the gore 5 may be made wider or narrower at the bottom and the hose supporters 3i! shortened or lengthened as desired, merely by adjusting the lacing. It will be noted that the cord 24 passes twice through the lowermost loop 32 of the gore, and that thecord 25 likewise'passes twice through the lowermost loop 33 of the sore, as best shown in. Fig. 5, the purpose of this special lacing being over and secured. to? the bottonrrofgthe: garment:

by stitches 22 forming tubular; channels-2 3swhich pass-through" said bindings -as;best -shown in Figs; Land 6. A .pairzofsmoothicords 24 and 25' arersecured. to I the-rear-sectiom 310i. the.:garment; at. fixed points; 2fi and: .21; respectivelyand these cords extendforwardly ancl= pass. freelyythrough the tubular: channels- 23. in. the respective *bind ings. 20. and. 2 I. as shown; in=Fig.--.4.". The.-cords124. and 25 likewise pass-freely through loopedtapes. 29 carrying the inelastic hose supporters-.30; so that in the. embodiment illustrated.the.cordsd land25. each carry apair. oihose supportersdis posed on. opposite sidesof. therespective: bindings. 20 and 2 l..

At. the central. frontportionof. the. garment, the cords .24 and 25 'are -.laced..into..-.fastenerelements or loops 32"I'and 33 which are secured to. the. respective. vertical edges. of the front gore. 5. asshown Figs. 4. andTEII E2a clrz-lcflthe. cord; 24

tomaintain the width to which the gore is adjustedand to prevent it from working wider or narrower when the garment is worn.

Suitable'stiffening busks 35 are secured in the fabric. on: opposite sides of the gore opening 5 to provide a firm support for the lacing adjustment; Aesoft. fabric shield 36 is secured to the inner. edges of the gore 5 to prevent the lacings from coming in contact with the body of the wearer, and the lower portion: of: this. shield. is doubled to provide an open pocket-131 into which; theaipper freeends of the: cords 24*and'25rmay: be-tucked and thus concealed;

When: the; garment. is: worn, the: cords 24- and 25" glide. freely through the I tubular channe'lsin. bindings 2H and-.21, as. well asrthrough' theihose supporter: loops 29; in'accordancewith the.;movements of the wearer. .As in the.-case -rof the.glid-- ing shoulder. strapsgsthexhosezsupporters likewise adjust themselves automatically-so that, as the figurestretches and-requires more length in a hose supporter or a-shoulder strap atone point; it obtains:- the-required additional length from a relaxation ata point where the figureis becoming shorter, thus performing the functions of' elastic straps and supporters-which have commonlyb'een used for thispurposein the past.

Another important advantage of" our improved loop-lacing gore construction is that, when the figure is seated :and'the" thighsexpand "and need" more" room; the front hosesupporters' will be 'relaxed" and this; relaxation will release the ten:- sio'npnthe lacingidthe gore and. thereby provide the :required additionalroom for. expansion. Still another advantage of theloopn-lacing front gore" is that itiallows the .garmentto. be adjusted to fit each individualwearer. properly at. the. lacinge'd e. This. definitely anchorsthe garment. in. placeonthe figure and preventsit from .ridingup.

It willbe evident that various modificaticnsand adaptations of. the. invention. may be. made,. with the. foregoing. advantages,. without. departing.n fromthe'. scope and. spirit. of the invention ;as..defined intheappended claims.

. The invention claimedis:

l. Afoundation garment fOla'WOlllGll comprisingv connected .front and back. sections,.,ai gore in the lower central portiontof said frontzsection includ ing: a vertical opening having spaced; fastener:elements. on its opposite edges-forlacingpurposes; a pair of channels on the lower edger-oflsaidzgarment onopposite sidesof said gore;,.a painof-lacingcords each havingone end secured to the lower.- edge. ofsaid garment. at. the respectivesides. thereof. and extending forwardly'through the respective. adjacent channels. for lacing. through the 1f astener. elements. of said gore, anda.- hosesupporter. havinga loop lslidably mountedon. each cfisaiddacingcords.to. glide freely thereon in.ac.-. cordancew-ithmovements of-.the body, the'forward ends. oftsaid; lacing cords beingt lacedup wardly throughthe fastener. elements on the opposits. .edgesoi said: gore :for adiustablysfasteningz 2,378,167 said gore and controlling the length and position I of said hose supporters.

2. A foundation garment for women comprising connected front and back sections, a gore in the lower central portion of said front section including a vertical opening having spaced loops on its opposite edges for fastening purposes, a

pair of spaced bindings doubled over and secured to the lower edgeof said garment on opposite sides of said gore and forming channels through said bindings, a pair of lacing cords each having one end secured to the lower edge of said garment at the respective sides thereof and extending forwardly through the respective adjacent channels for lacing through the loops of said gore, and a on the opposite edges of said gore for adjustably' fastening said gore and controlling the position of said hose supporters, each of said lacing cords being passed twice through the lowermost loop on the respectiv edges of said gore to maintain the adjustment of said gore.

l-IILDEGARD WIPPERMAN. MARIE MARTIN. 

